C8 Farm Space

Growing up, she was often the only one at home who got this kind of treatment; even her nephew only received it when he was sick.

“Mom, you can go ahead and take care of things. I’m feeling pretty good right now.”

Her voice was hoarse and nasal, her throat swollen from a cold. After falling into a rice paddy and being drenched in river water, her throat was severely irritated.

Watching her mother's slender figure with a sense of longing, Zong Fulai felt a deep sense of gratitude. In her past life, she had been naive and unaware, but those memories of hardship had become her own valuable experiences. Now, given a second chance, she was determined to ensure her whole family lived well.

She clenched her delicate, fair hands into fists, cheering herself on, but then noticed the red rope on her left wrist, and her mood plummeted. The bright red color was almost painful to look at.

This red rope looked and felt just like any ordinary one you’d find in stores, but it had no visible ends, couldn’t be cut or broken, and was impervious to water and fire. If she could, she would wish it away forever, but there it was, resting quietly on her wrist, unchanged no matter how many times she blinked.

She had received this red rope after leaving the Qi family for the Agricultural Reclamation Farm, where she was caught in a fire while rescuing someone. Not only did she suffer severe burns, but she was also left blind and lame, becoming a disfigured outcast. One of the elderly women she saved insisted on giving her this red rope as a token of gratitude...

As she thought about these past events, she wondered if that fire would happen again...

Her right hand absentmindedly rubbed the red rope, and suddenly, she felt herself being lifted. Surrounded by a thick white mist, she found herself in a place that looked remarkably like the Agricultural Reclamation Farm. The large sign at the entrance read “Farm Space,” snapping her back to reality. It wasn’t the same farm, and her eyes widened in disbelief, as if they might pop out at any moment.

It wasn't surprising she lost her composure; it was simply unbelievable—space, an actual space, the legendary kind!

Happiness came so suddenly that she felt like crying.

The farm space was far more advanced than any agricultural farm she'd been to before. It had mountains, water, fields, and even warehouses, shops, and factories.

The starter pack included rice and corn seeds, just the right amount for the 1,000 square feet of land she could currently use.

Thinking about the twenty pounds of rice she gave as a thank-you gift, Zong Fulai decisively chose the rice seeds and selected the auto-plant option.

Just as she confirmed her choice, she faintly heard someone calling "Auntie." The next second, she felt weightless and opened her eyes to see her nephew right by her ear, calling "Auntie, Auntie" repeatedly.

This little rascal, thankfully, ran from the foot of the bed to the head and not off the bed. "Binbin, what's up?"

Her nephew, seeing that his aunt finally responded, quickly stated his request, "Potty, Mommy, Grandma!"

Zong Fulai hurriedly took the chamber pot from its hidden spot by the bed and placed it in front of him. He was wearing pants with an opening, making it easy for him to go.

Ignoring the "ding-dong" sound of Binbin using the potty, she reached for the water jug on the bedside table. Feeling its warmth, she drank directly from it.

She drank nearly half the jug before stopping, poured a small cup, and handed it to her nephew, who was looking at her expectantly after finishing. She tidied up and settled back into the bed.

"Auntie, Mommy, Grandma," her nephew insisted, as his aunt hadn't yet taken him to find his mom and grandma.

Zong Fulai teased him with a smile, "Binbin, how about we play hide and seek?"

"Hide and seek," her nephew's eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite game, nodding eagerly.

She propped up the pillow, found a comfortable position to recline, and said, "You hide well, and I'll count to ten before coming to find you."

Without giving Binbin a moment to react, she started counting, "One... two... three... ten."

Binbin opened his mouth to say that wasn't how the game was played, but his aunt kept counting. In a hurry, he pulled the thin blanket over his head, "I'm hidden!"

Fulai stifled a laugh. This silly boy, with his rear end sticking up like an ostrich.

"Okay, Auntie is coming to find you now. Where could Binbin be? Let me see," Fulai pretended to search seriously.

"Here, here, here!" Binbin popped his head out, grinning widely, "Auntie, you're so silly."

A simple game, but the two of them played for a long time, only stopping when Fulai's mother entered the room.

Binbin bounced on the bed, happily calling out, "Grandma, Grandma, kitty!"

"Grandma's not playing right now. How about Grandma takes Binbin to eat?" Fulai's mother gently coaxed her grandson.

Kids get hungry quickly, and at the mention of food, he perked up, turning to call her, "Auntie, food!"

"Auntie's not hungry yet. Binbin, you go eat with Grandma. I'll eat later." Since the rest of the family wasn't back yet, her mother would probably take him to the kitchen to eat.

Meizhu picked up her grandson, reminding her daughter, "Stay in bed and rest. Fevers can come back easily. Call me if you need anything."

Fulai waved her hand, still feeling on cloud nine, "Okay, Mom, don't worry. I'll call if I need you."

Once her mother and nephew left, she continued to fiddle with the red string, eager to explore the automated planting in the farm space.